Unity of the Keys began in 1984 as a small group of dedicated spiritual students who met in each other’s homes. Through example and prayers, Licensed Unity Teacher Evelyn Casper, a dedicated Truth student since 1960, inspired and grew this ministry by sharing Unity teachings and principles.
Unity of the Keys became an official Unity Church on December 19, 1986, and was officially incorporated as a spiritual business in Florida on February 19, 1987. Rev. Evelyn Casper was ordained as the Unity Minister in 1988.
Unity of the Keys flourished for many years under the loving and radiant guidance of Reverend Evelyn as minister up until the year 2000. She then continued to be an integral member, a source of guidance, and the prayer guardian for Unity of the Keys until her passing in 2022.
Minister Emeritus, the founding member of Unity of the Keys, Reverend Evelyn Casper, made her transition on Monday, May 2, 2022.
A Celebration of her Life was held in the Unity sanctuary on Saturday, June 4th, 2022 at 2 PM. The Celebration was guided by Reverend Daybree Thoms.
View a recording of Evelyn’s Celebration of Life.
Obituary of Evelyn Casper
October 30, 1923 – May 2, 2022
Big Pine Key, Florida
EVELYN VIRGINIA FAULKNER CASPER
Reverend Emeritus Evelyn Virginia Faulkner Casper met her death on May 2, 2022, at her home on Big Pine Key, Florida, surrounded by her family and friends. She was the founder of the Key West church, Unity of the Keys, in 1984 and served there until 2000. During her tenure, the church grew from a storefront church with a handful of attendees to its own beautiful church on Flagler Avenue with a thriving congregation.
She was born in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 1923 to Dewey and Hazel Gillam Faulkner. She attended high school in Ft. Wayne, college in Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa where she received her BA degree cum laude. She married and moved to Miami, Florida. She and her husband resided on Key Biscayne for thirty years. She received an MS degree from Florida International University in 1978 and completed her seminary training at Unity Worldwide Ministries in Lee’s Summitt, Missouri in 1988.
In addition to Unity of the Keys, Reverend Casper also founded Unity Church of Marathon, in Marathon, Florida.
In Miami, Evelyn worked at the Miami Beach Public Library, where she served as the area’s first Bookmobile librarian. She later taught at the Key Biscayne Community Church Preschool. She worked for the Miami-Dade Public Schools, serving as a Reading Resource teacher for ten years before moving to the Florida Keys.
Reverend Casper was predeceased by her parents and her son, Erik Einar Casper. She is survived by her daughter, Corinne Casper Brown, and son-in-law, Will Brown, grandson, Christopher Brown and his wife, Christiana Brown, and great-grandchildren, Garrett Brown, Isaac Brown, and Will Brown Allison. Her sister, LaVerne Hiatt, nephews, Jeff Hiatt and his wife, Jane Hiatt, Greg Hiatt, Pat Hiatt, Chris Hiatt, and niece Kitty Green and her husband, James Green, also survive her.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Unity of the Keys. It was the desire of Reverend Evelyn to have donations go directly towards Unity’s Mortgage-Free Campaign. It is truly our joy to honor Rev Evelyn in this way and to know the community she started will continue for many, many years to come.
